Southsea murder arrest: urgent plea for witnesses

POLICE have moved to reassure residents after a man’s body was found in Southsea.

Neighbours told how a woman saw the victim, a 28-year-old man from Portsmouth, lying near her doorstep in Outram Road at about 8am yesterday

The News understands he fell from a window.

Detective Chief Inspector Dave Brown said the man died at the scene and was found in a garden. He said officers who have arrested a man on suspicion of murder want to hear from anyone who saw anything suspicious in the early hours.

He said: ‘We would like to hear from anyone who saw or heard anything suspicious in the area in the early hours of this morning.

‘Something that may seem insignificant to you may prove vital to this investigation so please speak to us.

‘At this stage we are treating this as an isolated incident and I would like to reassure residents that there is no wider risk to the public.’

Crime scene investigators were scouring the cordoned-off house, where a large white forensics tent was put up.

Hampshire police said a city man, 28, has been arrested on suspicion of murder but have issued no further details.

Denise Kelsey, 59, spoke to the woman who found the body, which has not been identified, and saw a man arrested.

She said: ‘She said “there was a body on my doorstep”.

‘She was sat on the wall. She started shaking.’

Denise added: ‘I saw police interviewing this guy, he was dark and young.

‘He was staggering around – they took him off in cuffs.’

Yesterday a large cordon was in place from the morning until afternoon, shutting Outram Road between its junctions with Campbell Road and Livingstone Road.

Residents have told of a large party being held until 2am at the house where the man’s body was found.

Marian Mitton, who was staying with her brother in Outram Road said: ‘I heard young women screeching during the early hours of the morning.

‘They were whispering, sounding very scared before I heard them scream and run off down the road.

‘It sounded like something had really panicked them.’

Josh Butler, of Outram Road said: ‘The block of flats has a reputation for drug dealing.

I came out of my house this morning and the road was flooded with police cars.

‘It is something you really don’t expect and I think the whole situation is awful.’

A woman, 76, who asked not to be named, said: ‘There’s a lot of people in bedsits around here who have difficult lives.

‘I know there was a party in the last town house in that block. It was still going until around 1am or 2am.’

Concerned residents were worried about the incident.

Rosemary Ives, 81, said: ‘When I opened my door I saw the woman who found the body was crying and I wondered why. She was devastated.’

Investigators from the major crime unit were yesterday going from house to house speaking to residents in the street.

Bill Ormston, 69, said he walked near where the body was found at about 7.15am and did not see anything untoward. He added: ‘I saw someone last night round the back, I didn’t recognise them.

‘When I put the security light on he got up and went.’

Resident John Bradshaw, 83, said: ‘That place has got a bad reputation. I’ve heard about problems from that address from a lady who lives there who found the body.’